Strike Down the Fierce 2
by Mapleleafscubachick
Summary: It's one year after season 9 has ended. Hathaway, and Maddox are still working together...
1. Chapter 1

**This is my second attempt at Strike Down the Fierce. About half way through the first, Diane and James were trying to tell me that I was getting their story wrong, and to start again.**

 **I still think James is the most interesting character on Lewis, all that spirituality and angst, and all those walls to hide his emotions… Since both my husband, and son are named James, I guess I am somewhat biased LOL.**

6:15 am. He was getting an early start. He lowered his car windows, and lit his first cigarette of the day. Two more blocks to the station house. A case was waiting for him; two university students were missing. Both were female. Fear was spreading through the colleges, and the pressure was huge on them to find the person responsible.

Suddenly he heard screaming, and then a woman ran out onto the road in front of him.

'Help me,' she was yelling, 'I need police.'

DI James Hathaway slammed on his brakes, and stopped behind her. Instinctively, he was already collecting information in his mind. She had an American accent. She was tall, with long red hair ponytailed neatly behind her head, although currently, her hair was matted with blood. More blood on her face, and spattered across her running top. She was cradling her right hand.

He had his badge and his phone in his hand as he was approaching her.

'I am a police officer. James Hathaway.'

Other cars were stopping behind him. He turned to one of the drivers, 'do you have a phone? Call 999 and ask for police and ambulance.'

He focused back on the woman.

'Help me. They tried to grab me and get me into a car,' she said and pointed, 'over there.'

James saw her legs start to buckle and caught her before she hit the asphalt.

She came to as the paramedics were lifting her onto the stretcher.

'Hullo, love, back with us?'

A woman's face swam into her view,

'Can you tell us your name?'

'Diane Chisholm,' she shut her eyes again, against the sunlight. Her head was pounding, and her hand felt like someone had driven a spike into it. Her eyelids flew open, 'is the cop still here?'

'Yes. Lots of coppers are here. Officer,' she called, waving at James, 'She wants to talk to you. Her name is Diane Chisholm.'

He kneeled down by her side, and took her hand. She was agitated, and clearly in pain, 'I punched one of them. Twice. I broke his nose. When he didn't answer immediately, she continued louder, 'you're looking for someone with a broken nose. It's his blood on the front of my shirt.'

A slight smile came across his face, was she trying to do his job for him?

'Can you tell me exactly where it happened?'

She gave him a street name across the park. 'There's a stand of beech trees there.'

'You said they, how many did you see?'

'A woman first. Then a guy hit me from behind. And another guy driving. Black van. She turned her head to the paramedic, 'any chance for something for pain?'

'Sorry, love, they'll give you something at A&E. Let's get you there, shall we?'


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They found the blood trail first.

Detective sergeant Lizzie Maddox stood next to James looking down at the blood. The trail stopped in the street.

'He got into a vehicle here,' she said, then followed the trail back into the grass, 'I'll get some techs out to get us blood samples.'

James saw a silver glint in the grass and stooped to look at it. It was a silver watch. Taking an evidence bag out of his breast pocket, he carefully picked up the watch. A plastic snap tie was caught in the band. It was at least 15 inches long, of heavy grade. There was no doubt it was meant for tying someone's hands. He let his breath out slowly.

'They definitely meant to take her. Let's get this area searched too, Lizzie, as well as blood samples from the pavement. '

He looked at the watch. It had a silver metallic band, and a Canadian red maple next to the face.

He turned it over; it was inscribed across the back of the face, '2002 Commonwealth Games'.

Hathaway looked across the park where she'd run, 'High Street is much closer, and would have been busy already at that hour. I wonder why she ran East instead of towards High Street.'

'How far was she from our station when she ran in front of you? Because if I'm not mistaken, it's in a straight line from here.'

'A couple of hundred meters…' James looked off through the beech trees. His eye caught an object about 10 meters in. It was a backpack. They walked out to it.

'It looks expensive. Hers, do you think?' Lizzie, her hands covered in gloves, opened it and made a quick survey of the contents.

'Wallet, notebook, um, not sure what this is.' Lizzie pulled out an object, then realized it was a white latex bathing cap. On it was a red maple leaf.

'You said she sounded American.'

'Canadian, then. Let's see the wallet.'

She opened it and removed first a driver's licence.

'Province of Ontario. Belonging to Diane Chisholm,' she held up the card with the photo, 'is this her?'

'Yes.'

Lizzie kept looking through the wallet, 'Oxford University Student card. University Sports Complex pass,' she paused reading the next card, 'Toronto Police Service Credit Union.'

Lizzie raised her eyebrows at James in an unspoken question.

'Yes, I'd say she could be a copper,' Oh Blimey! I met her about a year ago. '


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

' _James? Can I have a word?' Father Brian panted catching up to him. 'I hate to intrude on your weekend, but there is a young lady here. I think you might be the perfect person to speak to her.'_

 _Detective Inspector James Hathaway paused to let the elderly priest join him._

' _I don't think of it as an intrusion. But why me, Father?'_

' _She's police like you, James. She… She asked...' Father Bryan Brian was hesitating over his words, 'She asked me if God could forgive a serial killer.' He shrugged his shoulders ruefully. 'I am afraid that I am totally out of my depth. Such a lovely young woman, dealing with such darkness.'_

 _Mentally James ran through the people attending the retreat. Apart from his sister Nell, there was only one younger woman on the retreat._

' _The Canadian? Tall redhead?' James guessed._

' _Yes.'_

 _She had caught James's eye immediately when they had all introduced themselves. 'She probably catches a lot of men's eyes,' he thought to himself. She had intercepted his appreciative gaze, and returned one that was full of mischief. She hadn't seemed dark or traumatized._

' _If you think so, Father, then certainly. But she might not want to talk to me. '_

 _He added to himself, 'Especially not after she knew I was checking her out.'_

' _She's down by the river. She said she misses her home, and the sight of water. She told me it brought her peace.'_

 _James looked towards the apple orchard. The bit of blue behind the trees that was the river flashed in the sunlight._

' _Ok Father.'_

 _He watched her for several minutes before he approached. She was sitting on the dock dangling her feet in the water._

' _Hi,' he said joining her on the dock._

 _She looked up at him but didn't answer. James's breath caught as he looked into her eyes._

 _He looked away abruptly._

' _May I join you?'_

' _Depends. Are you going to keep looking at me like I am ice cream, or can we be done with that? You've been standing behind me for a while now, haven't you? Right now it's still flattering, but it might get creepy.'_

 _He turned beet red._

' _Yes, sorry' he mumbled sheepishly._

 _She laughed then. She had a full rich laugh, not whiny or high pitched._

' _OK,' reaching out her hand to shake his._

' _James Hathaway,' he responded, shaking hers. He sat down cross-legged next to her. 'Father Brian asked me to come and speak with you.'_

' _Ah, I see. I did scare him a bit. Why did he send you in particular?'_

' _I am a copper, and I was a seminarian. Gives me perspective from both sides, I guess.'_

' _A seminarian? 'The gleam was back in her eyes, 'clearly the celibacy thing might have been problematic.'_

 _He didn't bother blushing that time, he just grinned back at her._

' _Nah, ok, I am winding you up. I'm Diane Chisholm. I was a cop. A copper is a penny, 'she rolled her eyes, 'I'm currently on extended leave to do a PhD in criminal psychology.'_

 _She reflected for a few seconds, and then continued, 'Father Brian is troubled that a woman can work in my field. Old school, I guess. He thinks I should be raising kids, not chasing pedophiles. You seem nice and all, James, but I don't think I want to talk to a stranger.'_

'Earth to Hathaway!'

'Sorry, Lizzie, I was thinking about when I met her, over a year ago. She was a copper, but she left. She is doing a post-doctorate at the university, or was a year ago, anyway.'

He was back in control, 'Check CCTV. Let's see if we can't find images of the vehicle. You've notified local hospitals about our bloke with the broken nose?'

'I left Constable Bradley doing that. '

'Good. Get a current address for Miss Chisolm. I'm going to the hospital to see if she is up to more questions.'


End file.
